1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to selection interfaces. More specifically, the present invention relates to selection and display interfaces implemented on a computer or across a network, whereby a user can select and gain access to an image or other information related to an item or class of items having multiple properties.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The selection of products, parts, commodities, or other selectable items is commonly a laborious and time-consuming process, whereby a user or shopper is required to navigate and sort through numerous items that do not even remotely meet the user's requirements. For example, on a merchandising system implemented on a computer, e.g. through an Internet website, while a user may have an indication of one or more desired features of an item, the user is required to navigate through a large array of products, typically presented as lists of one or more items in a category. If a product name or brief description sounds remotely feasible, the user is then typically required to navigate to more detailed information regarding the item.
An exemplary product category, which presents a multitude of selection choices, is that of wire mesh products. Wire mesh and wire cloth come in many different combinations of weave, material, mesh sizes, and wire diameter. Although hundreds of thousands of different combinations are possible, it may not be practical for a particular supplier to offer all the combinations. Some combinations of weave, material, mesh sizes, and wire diameters are also not manufacturable, e.g., a wire diameter that is so large the mesh openings are closed up or impossible to weave.
Buyers can often make ordering mistakes in selecting a wire mesh or cloth because the impossible or unavailable combinations are sometimes too subtle to understand. Ordering the wrong thing can be frustrating for all those involved. The Internet now makes it possible for users to log onto a business' website to select and order products.
Suppliers like TWP, Inc. (Berkeley, Calif.) offer at least three families of mesh materials, e.g., woven wire mesh, welded stainless steel mesh, and galvanized hardware cloth. The woven wire mesh includes a range of traditional to ultrafine, high-tech alloy, screen materials. The welded stainless steel mesh is a strong, precise material with an accurate grid pattern and relatively large holes. The galvanized hardware cloth includes a range of steel mesh protected by a heavy-duty zinc coating, e.g., for use in outdoor and industrial environments. Such materials are conventionally stocked in 36-inch and 48-inch wide rolls in 100-foot lengths. But rolls up to 300-inches wide can be bought on special order.
Wire cloth is the proper name for what is commonly called screen mesh. Such material is known for its high strength, wear resistance, ability to withstand high temperatures, and long service life. Wire cloth is woven like textile cloth. So-called market grade wire cloth are woven wire meshes suitable for general purpose work.
Materials that can be used include stainless steel type 304, brass, or copper. A line of special woven meshes are available in stainless steel type 316, aluminum, bronze, inconel, nickel, steel, and epoxy-coated steel. The user's choice of metal is determined by the product-operation environment and constraining cost considerations.
The wire-mesh hole size, e.g., the distance between two adjacent parallel wires, is a function of both the mesh count and the wire diameter. Changing either will change the opening size. The usual opening sizes vary from one-inch openings down to microscopic. The choice of a wire-mesh opening size is determined by the desired sizes of objects to be retained or allowed to pass through. The mesh is the number of openings in a linear inch, measured from the center of one wire to a point one-inch distant.
Two weaves are conventionally available, plain and Dutch weave. The plain weave has an over-one/under-one weave. Such type of wire cloth has square or rectangular openings, and is the simplest and most common weave used in screening and separating applications. The Dutch weave is woven with two different wire sizes, to produce wedge shaped openings. Such weave is generally considered stronger than plain weave and is often used in filtration.
The typical welded stainless steel wire mesh is formed of wires that are fused together at their junctions onto a grid. Automatic welding machines are used that accurately position all the shorter (weft) wires over the longer (warp) wires and spot-weld the intersections. These special machines can produce strong, consistent welds without any burning or discoloration.
The standard welded-stainless-steel-wire-mesh material is type 304 stainless steel because of its high corrosion resistance and strength at elevated temperatures. Type 304 stainless steel is also referred to as “18-8”, meaning eighteen percent chromium (18% Cr) and eight percent nickel (8% Ni). TWP, Inc. also provides stainless steel types 304L, 316, 316L and other stainless steel alloys on request. Standard welded wire mesh openings are always square or rectangular, and range from 0.218 inch and 0.979 inch. Meshes from 4-mesh to 1-mesh are usually stocked, and much larger meshes with 10-inch openings and 0.500 inch wire diameter can be obtained on special order.
Galvanized hardware cloth is typically used in partitions, grills, vents, cages and guards, wherever economical, sturdy, corrosion-resistant material is required. Galvanized hardware cloth is a lightweight, economical steel mesh that is protected from atmospheric corrosion by the application of heavy duty zinc coating, e.g., hot-dip galvanizing. The zinc coating encapsulates the mesh for excellent corrosion protection and a firm, non-raveling product.
The hardware cloth openings are relatively large compared to those of woven mesh, e.g., they range from 0.108 inch to 0.459 inch. The galvanizing process slightly decreases the opening size by about 0.004-0.006 inches. Several special hardware cloth specifications called vent meshes offer larger open areas for increased air flow rates. Readily available galvanized hardware cloth is stocked in 2-mesh, 4-mesh, and 8-mesh. Other special meshes are manufactured as required. The 2-mesh and 4-mesh is available woven or welded and the 8-mesh hardware cloth is woven.
There have been some basic purchasing and selection systems proposed in the prior art.
R. Burke, Computer System for Allowing a Consumer to Purchase Packaged Goods at Home, U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,855, describes “A system for generating images representative of a store shelf includes a retail space management system for generating information describing product and shelf sizes and locations in three dimensions, and including a code which is unique to each product. The products are typically commodity goods. A product database is used to store images of product packages which are accessible using codes unique to each product. A three-dimensional modeling and display system which takes size and location information from the retail space management system and generates three-dimensional models of each shelf and product and accesses the product database using the codes provided by the retail space management system to obtain images for each product. It generates a display of each product on each shelf by combining the obtained images and the generated three-dimensional models. The consumer may manipulate the display to change what is being viewed, to examine product packages and to purchase products.”
M. Wilson, Full Alphanumeric Character Set Entry From a Very Limited Number of Key Buttons, U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,471 describes “A graphical machine-user interface includes a processor connected to a display screen to generate a screen display of individual items in groups together with the selector indication. The processor and a display screen are used to advantage to provide a rich keyboard function from a very limited set of pushbuttons. For example, five pushbuttons indicating “up”, “right”, “down”, “left”, and “middle” are recursively used to reduce a large two-dimensional matrix of item choices presented on the display to some subset, e.g., a top, right, bottom, left, or middle subset. If the reduction results in a choice of one, then that item is selected and output automatically. If the reduction results in a subset with more than one item, then a recursive process is used in which the selection process is repeated until the selected subset is reduced to a single item.”
As well, there have been selection and control interfaces disclosed in the prior art for menu selection or feature control of consumer devices, such as for phone sets, digital music players, and for personal computer controls.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a telephone control interface 10, similar to BEOTALK™ telephone products, available through Bang & Olufsen, Inc. A plurality of feature buttons 12a-12e provide a selection of a parameter to be controlled on the device 18, while a control 14 and a go button 16 provide an interface to control a selected parameter, e.g. such as a headset volume control. A display 20 is provided, such as to indicate a control level. A supplementary display 22 may also be provided, such as to provide selection-sensitive information 24.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an interface 30 for a digital music player 32, similar to an interface of a portable iPod™ digital music player, available through Apple Computers, Inc., of Cupertino, Calif. A rotatable dial 38 and select button 40 allow selection 52a-52c within one or more menus and or submenus 50a-50j, such that a user can navigate and highlight play lists or other system menu items. In some operation modes, the dial 40 is used to adjust operation parameters, such as play volume. As a user navigates through the menus or controls operation parameters, a display 36 provides a graphic representation of the menus or control parameters. Other buttons 42,44,46,48 are typically provided, such as to navigate to the beginning or end of a song or play list.
A connectable USB-compatible PowerMate™ knob selector, available through Griffin Technology, Inc., comprises a knob that is used as an assignable controller in conjunction with a computer. The assignable knob selector is used in conjunction with internal software, such for controlling one or more parameters within an application, for shuttling between applications, and/or for controlling operating system parameters.
While graphic user interfaces and selection devices have provided basic means for selection for various devices, there is presently no interface and/or device which provides an integrated selection and display interface, whereby a user can quickly search, sort, and/or select. The development of such a system would be a major technological advance. Furthermore, there is currently no interface and/or selection device which provides an integrated selection and display interface, whereby a user can select and gain access to an image or other information related to a generic, i.e. available item/class of items having multiple properties, by which a most nearly matching item is selected from a universe of such items. The development of such a system would be a further technological advance.